Gauna to step into the cage in local MMA eventWhen Steven Gauna started training with local mixed martial art fighters, he never anticipated getting in the cage. But, that is exactly where he will be Saturday night. Gauna, a former Kodiak High School wrestling and running star, will be bouting Ryan Gabor in one of the seven fights that make up the Havoc MMA Fights at the Kodiak Island Fairgrounds. Gates open at 6 p.m., with the first match starting at 8 p.m. ...

CHASING HISTORY: Thomet eyes state recordsAt 6-foot-1, Keith Osowski towers over Levi Thomet. There is no question that Osowski would school Thomet on the basketball court. But, when it comes to running it is Thomet that is doing the schooling. “My stride is two times longer than his, but he still goes faster,” Osowski jokingly said. Thomet has proven that size doesn’t matter when it comes to running, as the 5-foot-7, 132-pound Kodiak senior is about to w...

Baranov Museum to record history of Kodiak’s West SideDuring the next few months, the Baranov Museum will be documenting Kodiak’s history on the west side of the island through its new project, West Side Stories. The museum’s curator of collections, Anjuli Grantham, will travel throughout the West Side of the island with a photographer during summer to document the lives of the setnetters who live and work there. The idea for the project came from Grantham, who spent...

Kodiak baseball stays alive in regional tournamentKodiak’s baseball team used a late-inning rally to stay alive in the Southcentral Conference Championships. The Bears scored a pair of runs in the sixth inning to pull off a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over Kenai Friday at Bumpus Fields in Wasilla. Kodiak (14-10) advances to play either Colony or Palmer in another loser-out contest at 10 a.m. Saturday at Houston High School. The winner of that game slides into a ...

Kodiak baseball falls in semifinalsA disastrous third inning washed away Kodiak’s chances of claiming its first Southcentral Conference baseball title since 2011. Soldotna scored five runs on three errors, two hit batters and one walk in the third inning and rolled past Kodiak 11-4 in a semifinal game Thursday evening at Houston High School. Kodiak (13-10) opened the tournament earlier in the day with a 16-2 thumping of Houston. The Bears may not b...

COASTAL FORAGER: Dining with an enemy named NettlesA few years ago while I was living in Washington I read that nettles are edible. It seemed so wrong. If you know anything about nettles then you probably know that they sting like hell. And my hatred runs deep. I've been on the wrong end of a nettle leaf more than a few times thanks to my affinity for wearing shorts all summer as I gallivant around the forest. Everything in my experience taught me to skirt nettles...

Kodiak boys favored for titleKodiak’s boys track and field team will be vying for its third title since 2007 when the 4A state championships begin today at Dimond High School. And there is a good shot that when the dust settles Saturday evening that the Bears will be standing atop the podium. On paper, Kodiak is the overwhelming favorites over Kenai, Dimond and West Valley, which isn’t a surprise for those who have followed the team this seas...

Officials: Expect more Kodiak construction this summerThe end of spring means the beginning of construction season in Alaska. But for Kodiak’s city and borough officials, four words define the season: roadwork and pothole repair. Within the city, Manager Aimée Kniaziowski said officials intend to continue rehabilitation efforts on Mill Bay Road, which is showing extreme wear and tear. Last summer, the city repaired the areas with the worst issues, milling down the hu...

Salmon fishermen challenged to strike balance between enthusiasm, serious assessmentIf only most people were as enthusiastic about their job as River Hanson is about his. River, who graduated from Kodiak High School this year, eagerly looks forward to “getting the seine wet.” That’s jargon for salmon fishing. This is River’s second year fishing on the Lynx. What does he like about salmon fishing? “Everything,” he said, with sparkling eyes and a look of anticipation on his smiling face. “I’m happy...